bec's blog

Seasons

2009-07-21T00:05:00.003-04:00

So I started taking these pics of my side yard last fall - one each season. I had some plan, but now I can't quite remember what it was. I must be getting old... Maybe it was for my calendar? I have no idea. Maybe one of the kids suggested it? I even had a reminder programmed into my phone to remind me to take the summer pic. Too bad I didn't put in the pop-up reminder why I was taking these pictures...

kitchen take 2

2009-07-12T21:15:00.008-04:00

For some reason my little pics aren't clickable. Annoying... Here are bigger versions of the key "after" photos:

new fridge wall and new pantry cabinet

basement door/living room door

wall that came down (old fridge wall)

stove wall and mud room door

new sink/window wall

the whole sink/window wall

view from dining room

"Blog Your Kitchen!" - DSH

2009-07-12T09:32:00.003-04:00

So Deb will stop yelling at me...

We started our big kitchen renovation in April. I have 100s of pictures of the process. (It was a total gut - floor to ceiling... Took about 8 weeks.) But for this blog entry I'm just going to show before and after. Trust me, it's better if you're spared the "during." I'm trying to block it out myself... Totally worth it though. We are very happy with the end result. Now on to other projects we've talked about but not done for 10+ years... :)

the basement stairs and doorway to the living room

mud room door & dishwasher

mud room door & stove

stove area and the wall that is no longer there

pantry and fridge wall - this wall is still there but smaller. The old pantry was removed as well as an enormous center chimney (buried in the wall) which went roof to basement through our house.

pantry - once the chimney came down we had room for the fridge and a massive pantry cabinet on that wall

old, ugly, stained dropped ceiling and fluorescent light/new (clean! white! high!) sheet rock ceiling and recessed lighting

sink wall with drafty, back-breaking windows, crappy drawers and cabinets and ORANGE counter top

the whole sink wall/window to side yard

view from the dining room

maybe my new show...

2009-04-22T11:07:00.002-04:00

It wouldn't let me post to FB. Stupid new FB. Have you seen the promos? This show has musical theater, teen angst, no vampires, but I'll let it slide... And I IMDB'd, it does indeed have Spring Awakening original cast members. Of course it's on Fox, so it will probably get cancelled...

Happy Easter!

2009-04-13T13:11:00.009-04:00

First stop - Nana and Poppy's for brunch. My annoying children will not pose nicely (or even act normal) for pictures. So hoping Deb will whip 'em into shape... And so hoping those crazy teeth of Jack's will fall out...

Jack took this with my phone, but I kinda like it...

One "nice" shot of the 10 cousins - with the promise of one "crazy."
Go figure got 2 crazy ones...

Erin and Lily with their cute new haircuts

Caitlin looking very grown up

Em and Caitlin are always the same height... And were pleased to discover they wear the same shoe size, size 9!

Lily enjoying the Easter egg hunt

Brendan loved his eggs!

trying to find the last 3...

the Easter egg hunt gang - Nic, Nate, Hayley and Kris retired

Can you see Brendan's 2 new teeth? Love babies with just the 2 bottom teeth!

Brendan kept patting Jon's knee and trying to grab his fork saying, "Num, num." It was pretty funny! Finally Jon gave him a bite. Bren says - num, num (for food) wow, that, bye and a few others... He is pretty darn cute!

Just because I never blog anymore...

2009-03-16T16:25:00.010-04:00

"I don't think facebook is my thing..." Remember when I said that? :)

biking this weekend at the high school - hurray for spring!

Booo...my videos won't load. Oh well.

swim team banquet

2009-02-27T13:04:00.003-05:00

Last night the SH Swords did their end of season banquet. They had an hour of open swim and then a potluck dinner and awards. (And a very funny slide show with pics from the season) The coaches gave out each award individually as they read a little blurb about each swimmer. It took a long time, but it was personal and the kids really enjoyed it. There was a mountain of food. (Deb, my frozen BJs lasagna was a hit!) :)

Emma and her friend S with their medals

the whole team

blast from the past

2009-02-10T10:32:00.001-05:00

Deb, it was first grade, not kindergarten. Em wearing the dress she handed down to Jess.

father/daughter dance 2006

Father/Daughter Dance

2009-02-10T10:12:00.003-05:00

My one (scanned) pic. So Deb will stop yelling at me. :) Hoping the troop leader will e-mail out the group shot and her candids. More details soon... But Emma had a blast with her troop. Matt was a good sport.

PV Swim League Championship

2009-01-24T19:27:00.005-05:00

Today was the last meet of the swim season. All of the teams in our league met at the Mt. Holyoke College pool. It's all weekend long, but each group is asigned a specific time slot. Emma is in the 9 - 10 girls group. You wouldn't think there would be that many swimmers in that group. You would be wrong. Hundreds of kids... It was a super long day. Crowded, sweaty, back-breaking bleacher seats. But Emma swam strong and had a blast hangin' with her team...

big pool - much better set up than the pool we were at last year

how Jack survived the meet

hanging out between events

last race of the season...

Last call...

2009-01-16T16:07:00.006-05:00

No pressure - just let me know if you want to order. Our forms are due to the troop cookie mom on Monday. Cookies come in next month. Money isn't due until the cookies are in. Thanks!

Amusing themselves on a snow day...

2009-01-08T20:47:00.005-05:00

Still have no clue what they were playing. Didn't get a shot of Jack's elaborate outfit. Weirdos... So far we've had one full day of school this week. Fingers crossed for tomorrow...

my old man...

2009-01-01T20:20:00.010-05:00

Kitty-Brain (B-Brain, Mr. B or just B) our 15 year old cat passed away suddenly this week. He was my first pet in my first apartment. I felt like such a grown-up. He was 11 weeks old when I adopted him - the last kitten left in the litter. All his brothers are sisters were adopted a few weeks before when they were still little puffballs. No idea why he was the last one left. He was such a friendly, affectionate boy. Back in my first apartment he always greeted me after work or class, made cute "Brrrr" noises when I talked to him and snuggled on my lap when I watched TV. B was a trooper and weathered 2 moves, 2 new cats, a new Dad (Matt) 2 dogs and eventually 2 kids. He was the cat who hung out with us at night. He often tried to push Matt's laptop out of the way so he could get comfy. He loved lounging on the back of the couch looking out the front window. He was friendly with the kids and was easy to get purring. Honestly you could almost just call his name. He always came when you called him. Just a little more slowly recently. Still not really sure what happened. He was an old man, but seemingly healthy. Emma took it the hardest. It's hard having a houseful of old pets. Tess (our 12 yo pup) was freaked out. Smoochie (our other 14 yo cat) seems unfazed. He is the cat with zero personailty. Funny how different they can be. Like people, I guess. Anyway, since B was the second pet we lost in 2008, it seems less hard somehow. Maybe because we didn't make the decision - he just went. But he is totally missed. Especially at night. The couch seems empty without him.

skinny little man in my first apartment - look at all that candy!

he loved that windowsill - great apartment for cats

when his ears were still too big for his body

Christmas Day with the Odells

2008-12-28T09:12:00.014-05:00

Christmas Day is spent with Matt's side of the family. Usually at his brother Scott's house. It starts out with 10 kids (cousins) parents and grandparents and grows steadily throughout the afternoon and evening as friends of Scott and Jackie's stop by. It's crowded and a little crazy but the kids totally love it. And it has gotten easier as our kids have gotten older and we don't have to constantly supervise/find them in the crowd.

Heading out around 2pm after a nice relaxing Christmas morning at our house. (I even went back to bed for a few hours - the beauty of not hosting) Seriously, who coordinated these outfits? Could they be any less matchy-matchy?

Lily's asthma has been bad. Running around in cold air really sets her off. So she had to stay in while the big kids were outside playing. Felt really bad for the little peanut standing watching out the window.

Brendan was passed from lap to lap and seemed to enjoy his first Christmas. He's at a nice age, seven months. He sits and is interested in holding/chewing toys. No stranger anxiety and he doesn't move if you plop him down.

Grandpa, Caitlin, her friend Emma and my Emma trying to get Bren to laugh. He has a very sweet little chuckle. Jackie has said for years that preteens make better babysitters than teens. These 3 were so cute with Brendan. Of course the other Emma turns 13 next month. We'll see if she's still baby-crazed once she's a full fledged teen.

After dinner the other Emma's family invited everyone over for sledding. They live one street over. We've never gone over before. We almost bailed. It was late and it had already been a long day. But the kids really wanted to go - the cousins had really talked it up. We decided we'd go for just a little bit. Which turned out to be a few hours. It was so much fun. They have a sloped lot that extends way back into the woods. Mr. R set the track earlier in the day. Mrs. R. set out jars with tealights to mark it. Bad picture, but you get the idea. And that only shows the first 1/3 of the track. It started in their front yard and went all they way through the side yard and down in back into the woods. Some of it was a gradual slope but the first part was steep enough that the kids (and many adults) flew. The non-sledders stood around the fire roasting marshmallows and drinking hot cider. The R's had Christmas lights all over their back deck and holiday music playing. Totally fun. I know I knock theater people, but, man they know how to throw a party. We were very happy to be included. And happy we didn't wimp out... It was a great way to end the day.

Christmas Eve

2008-12-26T14:44:00.010-05:00

We spend Christmas Eve at my parents' house. My Uncle Steve and Grandma also go over. It's pretty low-key. My kids are the only kids. They get a lot of loot and attention, but there aren't any crazy kid cousins to run around with. They still have fun though. They are very familiar with Nana and Poppy's house and know where all the fun stuff is. Nana also put E & J to work this year. They set the table and sliced cheese and arranged the appetizers. They were quite good little helpers. It was a great dinner and a nice night. We eat at 1:00 so the afternoon/evening's pace is slow and relaxed. We were home by 8. The kids zoomed upstairs to bed. They were very excited for Santa. Though both kids had already checked off a few of the top items on their lists. Both were sure that Santa would be in the know and not bring duplicates. (They were right)

reaction shots with the top gifts on their lists

Merry Christmas!!!

2008-12-26T11:50:00.002-05:00

New Christmas jams at Nana and Poppy's. Not exactly the shot I was looking for... I'll post more later. Still digging out. And dealing with leftovers. Hope everyone had a great Christmas!

nutty for sledding

2008-12-22T16:59:00.015-05:00

Our schools are already on Christmas break - we have 2 full weeks off. (And last Friday as a bonus.) Today Emma's friend Christina came over for the day. In spite of the cold and blowy conditions we went across the street. It was only 3ish but the sun was starting to go down.

Really pretty light. But really cold. The kids didn't care. I'm the wimp. They tried out a steeper section of hill and even made a little jump.

climbing up the steep part

Christina catches some air

Nothing like these big kid snowboarders though. They reminded me of Marc with their big shovels...

And check out what this dad brought for his 4 kids to go down in. The top of a turtle car storage thingy!

This was the view as we left an our later...

Quick walk home to cookie day cookies and hot cocoa. :)

icicles

2008-12-22T16:44:00.003-05:00

Since they're on the second story and above the porch, they probably won't fall on my kids and spear them, right? They look so pretty and festive...

one more from sledding

2008-12-21T10:03:00.008-05:00

The hill across the street is C shaped. We usually sled in the medium steep area. The super steep part (with jumps) is usually full of teenagers. Anyway, the area we like is right behind that little gray house that I love. Deb and Em, the one that I made you go to the open house for last May. Dee, the one I kept e-mailing you the real estate listing for. It did finally sell this fall. Not to Dee. :( The old owners used to string old school big bulb Christmas lights on the big pine in back. It actually looks like they're still there. But the new owner doesn't turn them on. I knew I should have bought that house... How perfect for sledding. And Matt still is drooling over the shed with electricity and cable. Nothing else about the house made sense. Smaller house, weird, sloped lot, on the busy side (SHHS football field side) of the street. But it was just soooo me. *sigh*

Look, I still have the listing in my saved properties folder...
http://www.newenglandmoves.com/viewDetails.nem?GLID=1011204474&selectTab=1&propertySearchType=6&associateSearchType=&cid=914093

snow day!

2008-12-20T15:32:00.010-05:00

No pics from our snow day yesterday. If there were they'd be pretty boring. School was canceled so Em, Jack and I stayed in jammies all day. The kids did go outside a few times. I mostly warmed the couch and read my book from Dee - The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes. (Finished it too. Good call, Dee - you know a Bec book when you see one.) :)

Today Emma was up bright and early. She went out to shovel since Matt said they couldn't go sledding til the driveway was cleared. She didn't last long. "Shoveling is hard," she announced. It was a good effort though. Unfortunately a call from MassMutual foiled the get out to the hill early plan anyway. But after the MM problem was fixed and the driveway, walk and back stairs were clear Matt and the kids headed out. I caught up a little later to take some pics. I was a little worried Jack would already be done. In previous years he has had small window of time where he enjoys being outside in the snow. Last year he was a little better. Well I'm happy to say this year he outlasted us all. I couldn't believe how much fun he was having. (absolutely zero whining about the cold, crying when he wiped out, kicking the snow, demanding to be carried home - yeah, he was a barrel of fun a few winters back) This year he was all laughs, smiles and woo-hoos as he climbed up and flew down time after after time. Emma had to take a few breathers - because she was tired, not whiney. But not Jack - he was all Mr. Happy and Energetic. Possibly I give him more credit than I should for simply having fun in the snow and being, well, pleasant to be around. Poor Emma never gets credit for that. But for Jack it doesn't come as naturally and takes far more effort on his part. So I'm going to give him credit for not being a pain in my butt. And, seriously, it was really great to see him so happy, having so much fun. Both of them. But mostly him. Ya know?

the hill abutting the HS athletic fields - right across the street from us

my 3 snow bunnies

happily pulling the sled back up the hill

my favorite Jack shot of the day

my easy-going girl - trying not to take her attitude for granted

a few of my favorite things...

2008-12-20T10:22:00.003-05:00

How I Met Your Mother and the Summer Olympics!

Entertainment Weekly did a funny recreation of some of 2008's most memorable moments with the cast of HIMYM. Pretty funny. I couldn't fit the whole 2 page spread on my scanner and didn't feel like scanning separately and pasting. Anyway, rest assured that they are all wearing swim suits. There was also a funny quote about shaving underarm hair that didn't make the scan.

caroling from last weekend

2008-12-20T10:02:00.009-05:00

Forgot to blog about Emma's troop caroling at the nursing home/rehab hospital in town. They do it every year. My parents' neighbor's sister is a resident there and we always hear through the grapevine what a hit the girls were. The residents look forward to it every year. This year Em's troop did a little Nutcracker skit before the singing. It was cute. Maybe a tad long... The crowd was friendly though.

Um, yeah, we grow 'em tall. Don't count the 3 little brownies in the front though. They're from our sister troop. And all 3 cuties are in Jack's 1st grade class. I didn't get a good one of the whole group. I thought it would be wrong to push the wheelchair out of the way that was blocking my shot...

Em and her friend C. in the snack room afterwards. You can hardly even tell they are annoyed with me for keeping them from the cookies and punch with all my picture taking :)

the hat

2008-12-17T16:40:00.006-05:00

Poppy gave this hat to the kids. They think it's hysterical. Jack has a very elaborate lip-synch/dance routine he usually does while wearing it. He got all shy when I took out the camera though. Dee, should I wear it to the mall tomorrow night?

Prop 8 the musical

2008-12-16T19:16:00.003-05:00

Thanks Robin. Catching up and finally watched this... Neil Patrick Harris is totally my boyfriend. Too bad he's married. And gay. Oh, right, and I am too. Married, not gay.

I feel strongly about this issue. For lots of reasons. But basically, in my opinion marriage is a civil right. And rewording the CA state constitution in a way that denies people civil rights is, well, wrong. Simple as that.

"Prop 8 - The Musical" starring Jack Black, John C. Reilly, and many more... by Jack Black

pretzel boy

2008-12-16T18:50:00.004-05:00

So I had a mountain of pretzel snaps (the square ones) leftover from cookie day. Jack's teacher has non-sugary extra snacks on her wish list. So I sent in a big ole full bag of snaps along with a box of tissues. On the way to the bus in the morning I told Jack I had put some classroom donation stuff in his backpack. This is our conversation when he came home that afternoon.

Me: Did you give Ms. McWilliams your classroom donation stuff?
J: Yes. She said thanks.
Me: (after unpacking his lunch box) Hey, you didn't eat any of your lunch.
J: Well I didn't have any room after eating all those pretzels.
Me: Um, what?
J: The ones you packed me for snack. I ate half at snack and half at lunch. I threw some away.
M: Those were for your classroom. You ate the whole bag?
J: Yeah. Mostly. That was a lot of pretzels.

Um, yeah.

our tree

2008-12-15T15:53:00.005-05:00

Emily requested pics a while ago. Can't remember how I got a decent one last year. I need a Deb low-light tutorial again. Neither one of these really does our pretty, little tree justice. I will try to take outside ones tonight.

Odells don't get rid of stuff...

2008-12-02T19:23:00.006-05:00

Sometimes that is handy. (Don't tell Matt I said so...) This back carrier has carried a lot of Odell babies on tree day. Thought that was the case, but I had to investigate in my photo library to be sure it was the same one. I think it's funny that the baby being carried is always toted by someone other than his/her parent.

Jackie & Jack 2002 Cate & Lil 2005

Caitlin & Bren 2008

Annual Tree Hunt

2008-12-02T13:04:00.007-05:00

This is why we need Deb. This is the type of family photo other people take.

Our Saturday after Thanksgiving tree tradition is way easier with mostly big kids. The cousins all had fun running around looking for the perfect tree. All those big kids had lots of opinions. Though Brendan mostly liked feeling the branches and popping things in his mouth. It took some time but in the end we found 3 good trees for the 3 families. Ours is a little shorter than usual, but it still looks good. I will post decorated pics later.

Turkey Day 08

2008-11-28T19:47:00.009-05:00

On Thursday we went to the in-laws. 10 kids and lots of craziness. Took not a single picture. Not even baby Bren in his adorable argyle sweater. For shame... At least I remembered to snap a few of E & J in the morning. Our traditional picture tree is no more. So we posed in the side yard near the big tree. The light is weird, but I wasn't picky. They hate posing for pics now, so I had to knock it out quickly. Is it me, or do they look really old in these?

Today we had our day after Thanksgiving feast at my parents' house. We invited Caitlin along because now it's tradition. Again, barely anything for pics. Did get this one of the 3 kids watching funny cat youtube videos on my iphone.

Tomorrow it's our annual multi-family Christmas tree day. Odells are nothing if not creatures of habit.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

2008-11-26T19:03:00.005-05:00

Jack's 1st grade class did an adorable play today called No Turkey for Perky. Perky is a dog. A girl named Hazabelle doesn't like turkey and tries to figure out what food she can ask for (and be thankful for) on Thanksgiving instead. Totally cute. Here are a few highlights. Bad visibility and old camera, but you get the idea... Jack is the turkey in the back row.

my other commercial songs...

2008-11-23T11:41:00.004-05:00

What did people do before they had the internet to look up things like, "Who sings the Old Navy Sweater song?" Not like you can look it up at the library... Did you have to ask people you know? These are the things I wonder about... And the things that make me appreciate the internet. Picking wedding reception songs must be a breeze now too...

Old Navy Sweater Song (The Way I Am - Ingrid Michaelson)

I also like this song for a wedding first dance.

TLC's Monday night promo

Beautiful Life by Fisher (hard to dance to, but not a bad wedding song)

Give Up the Funk by Parliament

(not a wedding song) Respect the Van!

Kel, this is the one....

2008-11-22T00:38:00.003-05:00

Sniff, sniff... Still gets me. Kelly blogged about Joshua Radin music. I bought this song shortly after seeing the JC Penney commercial last May. I love commercial music. Also bought the Old Navy Sweater Song (The Way I am). And the Beautiful Life song that is featured on the new Jon and Kate commercials. This is the best commercial of the 3 though...

It's almost advent calendar time!

2008-11-16T11:25:00.006-05:00

Our favorite ones from previous years have been the Playmobil ones. Lego makes cool ones too, but they are kind of hard to find, and tend to be pricey. Actually little toy advent calendars are kind of hard to find in general. One year I lucked out with a cheap Polly Pocket one at Christmas Tree Shops. Last year I couldn't find any cool ones in stock anywhere so I just bought chocolate ones at the grocery store. Not really as much fun. And we still have a bucket o' Halloween candy, so I'd like to avoid more. Anyway, I started looking a few weeks ago and was very pleased to find Playmobil knight and pirate sets at Target. They were initially out of stock on-line. But now they have them! The kids will be thrilled I think. Admittedly, I have a soft spot for Playmobil stuff. When my uncle was stationed in Germany in the early 80s he used to send me Playmobil toys. And gummy bears. Way before either were common here. Funny, the stuff that triggers childhood nostalgia... Oh and the knight one appears to be in the German packaging. Makes me happy...

I'm a Centrist!

2008-11-09T15:53:00.007-05:00

Me? In the middle? Shocking... If you take the test, let me know your results. It's quick and some of the questions are pretty funny. Like the one about duels/death matches between consenting adults. I'm going to see if I can make Matt do it. The test, not a death match...

Your true political self:

You are a
Social Liberal
(65% permissive)

and an...
Economic Moderate
(43% permissive)

You are best described as a:

Centrist

You exhibit a very well-developed sense of Right and Wrong and believe in economic fairness.

Happy Election Day!

2008-11-04T17:11:00.005-05:00

SNL is at its best during an election season. I started tivoing it again about a year ago. These 2 clips are from last season. They were highlighted on the election eve clip show which aired last night. Made me laugh all over again... Hope you all already voted. Our polling place was dead at noon. Brought the kids. Emma thought it was cool. Jack thought it was a little boring and that his election booth/process at school was better.

btw, Ms. McWilliams' first grade class results:
Obama 18 - McCain 4

Here are the clips. In this one the last 40 seconds are the best.

Tracy Morgan's response

our Jack-O-Lantern

2008-11-02T14:01:00.005-05:00

disappeared off our porch last night. :( No smashed residue anywhere. None of our little pumpkins were touched. Here are Jack's theories in order of likelihood:

1. UFO/aliens
2. robbers
3. it was a magic pumpkin that made itself disappear
4. football players took it (We live across from the high school field - games all weekend)

For the record, he is pretty sure it's #1.

Good thing I took a picture of it before it vanished.

Just kidding. My mom took this at the Keene. NH Pumpkinfest. This is what we're making next year. We'll have to boobytrap it somehow though. To protect it from the aliens...

Happy Halloween!

2008-11-01T15:49:00.004-04:00

the trick or treat gang

ninja and zombie princess earlier in the day

my favorite this year - Brendan as Charlie Brown

fall fun

2008-11-01T15:35:00.005-04:00

Finally loading the pics from the last few weeks. This working thing gives me much less blog time... My e-mail inbox is a mess too. That part is a drag. (As well as my laundry situation...) But I'm sure I can work it out. (Like the rest of the working population - many of whom probably work more than 6.5 hours a day...) And I'm totally enjoying it. I really love 2nd grade. The kids are pretty independent, can read well and know the routine/rules of the school day. But they are still little and cute, want to show you things, tell you funny stories, draw you pictures, etc. The teacher I worked with all last week is amazing. She is my number one choice for Jack next year. Numbers 2 and 3 rock too. Anyway, these pics are from 2 weeks ago - big leaf pile #2 maybe... With our big, old maple we have 6+ weeks of raking.

Look Deb! Sun flare, right?

horse lover

2008-10-25T21:18:00.005-04:00

Emma was supposed to be done with riding as of today's lesson. (Until the spring and hopefully another bday gift certificate) But her instructor said she's ready to start cantering, which is the next big step after mastering walking/trotting. We may let her do a few more just so she can try cantering before her winter break. No desire to hang out in the riding arena through the winter. And frankly, the lessons are totally a budget buster... She does love it though. And they tell me she has made so much progress. No frame of reference, so I will take their word for it.

Sunny - one of the older lesson ponies
He's getting a little small for Emma

this sign is new - nice, huh?

Willow Rosenberg and Wesley Wyndam-Pryce....

2008-10-22T16:19:00.008-04:00

are pregnant! Makes me so happy! (Like I know these people.) It also makes me happy that these two actors (Alyson Hannigan and Alexis Denisof) found love in the Buffy-verse. So now I am guessing Lily and Marshall will be expecting on HIMYM. Or she will carry lots of big pocketbooks and hide behind plants. I think it's hilarious when they do that on TV.

Follow through - who knew?

2008-10-14T15:48:00.002-04:00

Alternate title: Deb was right - go figure...

So last week I called all the SH schools I signed up to sub at. Said I was just calling to make sure that I am on the current sub list and that my availability is M - F this year. Like magic, from the day I called I have been called to sub every day. Today the principal caught me on the way out and asked if I could just plan on coming in the rest of the week. Who knew?

wanted

2008-10-08T12:23:00.006-04:00

Okay this is a bit random. I went to a tupperware party maybe 10 years ago and won a little keychain. It was a tiny bowl with a removable lid on a small chain. I think I kept it for awhile then tossed it. 'Cause what the heck would I use that thing for. Well now I am looking for exactly that sort of thing for Jack's milk money. (In SH the school lunch program is old school - they bring in actual money) By any chance, did anyone else win one at a tupperware party? And if so, do you use/want it? I know a six-year-old who cannot keep track of his milk money who would put it to good use...

Okay, found some on e-bay, but I'd rather not pay $20. Who knew they were collectables? Ugh.

Don't vote.

2008-10-05T20:30:00.002-04:00

Thanks Robin. This is great. And not only because Dawn from Buffy the Vampire Slayer is in it...

I heart Tina Fey

2008-10-05T17:23:00.007-04:00

Sorry, couldn't get it to load without the ad. It's quick though. Loved the debate skit. Touched on all the stuff we talked about... Also, Deb will love the last line... *UPDATED* Okay was able to embed the NBC one. No more commercial!

blog stalking

2008-09-26T08:18:00.000-04:00

Deb's friend Michelle has a link to this Seattle based (mostly canine, I think) photographer - Bark! (Kate! You should call her! She has a contest running for a free doggy shoot.) A few posts back she has pics posted from a trip to the Olympic Game Farm in Sequim, WA. (Kate! When we visit, we are totally going there!) You can hand feed bison, yaks, llamas, goats, bears... Well not the bears. I guess they wave and you toss them bread. The pictures totally crack me up. I wonder if you're allowed to do stuff like that in a rental car... I wonder if bison saliva is hard to clean off car interiors...

Lunch with Lil

2008-09-25T17:59:00.001-04:00

Spent the afternoon with my little 4 yo niece Lily. We missed her birthday this summer so I took her out for a belated celebration. We lunched at Friendly's where she colored happily, politely ordered for herself, and chatted nicely with strangers. (But not to the extent that she was bothersome or freaking me out...) Then we went to Build-A-Bear. Lily has never been. Being a weekday afternoon we had the place to ourselves. She took lots of time deciding between the Hannah Montana teddy and the elephant. Since she has never been to BAB she had no idea bear clothes/accessories were an option. I did not feel the need to point them out. She was so sweet and easy. As the baby of five kids she kind of just needs to go with the flow, I guess. Fun, easy outing. Now I have to plan something for her 2 sisters, who also have summer bdays we missed. Not sure how we became the lame-o bday forgeters. Oh well, hopefully made up for it with Lil at least.

Corn Dogs and Footsie-Wootsie

2008-09-23T19:10:00.000-04:00

A Big E tradition...

You'd never know by Jack's attire that it was blazin' hot outside. It was also crazy crowded, but we had a good time anyway. The kids loved the (fake) milkable cow, the (real) hatching chicks, the food and the rides. Nana is such a good sport...

jack cam...

2008-09-22T15:08:00.001-04:00

Just found these on my camera. There were lots of pet pics and nearly 50 Bionicle shots. All in focus and nicely composed. I actually couldn't bring myself to delete them. Maybe the boy has a future in Lego photography...

What Jamie looks like...

2008-09-18T11:16:00.000-04:00

According to Diana Gabaldon's blog, this is a pretty close match. Not sure if he's exactly what I had pictured. Maybe I'd have to see him in a kilt... Or hear him say "Sassenach."

My house plan du jour...

2008-09-16T09:58:00.000-04:00

This is the new one I like. I like that the garage opens into a mudroom with bench and closet. I like the first floor master with access to the porch. The downstairs bedroom would be a den/guest room. The kids would get the two massive upstairs bedrooms. I'd probably do a bonus room upstairs instead of the 2 story family room. That loft upstairs is kind of a waste. Not sure what I'd put there. Also not sure if I care that there isn't a tub in the master bath. I love that there are basement stairs. Love the built in desk in the kitchen. And the HUGE pantry. A good house plan makes me happy...

The Trouble With Boys

2008-09-11T13:00:00.000-04:00

From the Today Show this morning. (Yes, I'm aware I need to get out of the house more.) I think this totally makes sense. I have had that conversation the book author describes - the one with other moms about which teachers are "bad for boys." I like how she points out that it is not anti-feminist to worry about how we teach boys. Good story and interview...

Love this PSA

2008-09-11T11:54:00.000-04:00

Saw it on the View this morning.

Hil. Ar. Ious.

2008-09-10T14:32:00.000-04:00

Yup, totally stole that from Deb's friend Lisa... One more song from Dr. Horrible's Sing-A-Long Blog. Oh my...LMAO!

It may not feel too classy
Begging just to eat
But you know who does that? Lassie.
And she always gets a treat
So you wonder what your part is
‘cause you’re homeless and depressed
But home is where the heart is
So your real home’s in your chest

Everyone’s a hero in their own way
Everyone’s got villains they must face
They’re not as cool as mine
But folks, you know it’s fine to know your place
Everyone’s a hero in their own way
In their own not-that-heroic way

So I thank my girlfriend, Penny
(yeah, we totally had sex)
She showed me there’s so many
Different muscles I can flex
There’s the deltoids of compassion
There’s the abs of being kind
It’s not enough to bash in heads
you’ve got to bash in minds

Everyone’s a hero in their own way
Everyone’s got something they can do
Get up, go out and fly
Especially that guy – he smells like poo
Everyone’s a hero in their own way
You and you and mostly me and you

I’m poverty’s new sheriff
And I’m bashing in the slums
A hero doesn’t care
If you’re a bunch of scary alcoholic bums

Everyone’s a hero in their own way
Everyone can blaze a hero’s trail
Don’t worry if it’s hard
If you’re not a friggin' 'tard you will prevail
Everyone’s a hero in their own way
Everyone’s a hero in their way

Groupies: (over Hammer)
We’re heroes too
We’re just like you
We’re heroes too

Nope, no job offers from YouTube yet...

2008-09-10T09:50:00.000-04:00

The real title of this entry would be Dr. Horrible's Sing-A-Long Blog. If Deb wasn't such a wise-arse. I bought all 3 Dr. Horrible episodes on itunes over the summer. I don't know why I kept putting off watching. A musical written by Buffy's Joss Whedon, starring Neil Patrick Harris and Nathan Fillion. Seriously, how could you go wrong? Finally watched them on my iphone on the long drive to NC. Totally loved them. Even on the teeny screen. Reminded me of the Buffy musical. And Little Shop of Horrors. And an episode of Scrubs. Recently re-watched on a larger screen. And I found out that you can watch the whole thing on-line for free. Or you can watch little clips on you-tube. Or I guess you could support the artists and purchase the series. Pretty sure it's only available on itunes right now though. Heard it's coming to DVD soon with a commentary track all in song. How fun is that!?

Two of my favorite songs:

funny Windows ad - who knew?

2008-09-09T18:17:00.000-04:00

I actually think this is an amusing ad. Says nothing about the product, but that's okay 'cause I don't want the product. I kind of forgot about Jerry Seinfeld. Zach Braff from Scrubs is totally trying to be him, huh? And Bill Gates is kind of adorable. I totally dig his philanthropy as well...

Rapture

2008-09-09T10:26:00.000-04:00

Now as a Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan I admit I do enjoy a a good apocalypse story... But give me a break. Yeah, I'd say there is a reason they are down playing Palin's religious background. Yeah, yeah and I know the article says that people misunderstand the actual beliefs of Assembly of God members. Judge for yourself...

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/08/palin.pastor/index.html

You know who else downplays the A of G connection? TLC. Hardly ever mentioned on Jon and Kate Plus 8. Only once they showed their church. Their website makes it more obvious. Still love them. But wouldn't vote for either of them for president.

Can you see it?

2008-09-08T09:29:00.000-04:00

Every now and then I think Jack looks just like Matt. I was digging through some old pics yesterday and came across this first grade school photo of Matt. I couldn't find a pic of Jack with the same expression, but he totally makes it. The best I could do was his strained first day of school smile. I'll have to keep looking...

Halloween '08

2008-09-07T18:23:00.000-04:00

Em and Jack refuse to let me pick their costumes anymore. I loved it before they had opinions - when I could coordinate them. This is what I would have done this year - Mario and Luigi. Easy and super cute!

Instead they are talking about a Clone Trooper and a zombie. Ugh. That is not fun. Or matchy...

Seriously...

2008-09-05T09:45:00.000-04:00

Does the Republican party not have any qualified masscomm people? As if the rotating Windows scenes of America screensaver behind the podium of the RNC speakers wasn't bad enough... (none of whom spoke well/could read a teleprompter without looking like they were reading/engaged the audience at all - except for maybe Palin, who did well enough, but was a little too sarcastic for my liking) But seriously, who did the video montages for the candidates? Amateurish. Cheesy. Painful. Palin's by far the worst, which is a shame because she actually has a story that is interesting and might make people feel something. (Interesting aside, great article recommended by Deb's friend's Lisa's post... ) Anyhow, back to the lame-o montage. Check out the part at the end where she and J. Mac pop up under the rainbow. Ugh. A 10 year old could have done that montage in Power Point...

For the sake of comparison, here is Joe Biden's video from the DNC last week. I am not blind to the cheese factor here and there in his. But overall, much more professional and engaging. More video rather than still photos. And fewer "scenes of America" stock photos. And certainly no popping up under the rainbow...

Jack & Emma's favorite show

2008-09-05T09:30:00.000-04:00

The kids discovered Wipeout at the Cape. (Grandma watches live TV in the evening...) I started tivoing it for them when we came home. But I think it was mostly a summer filler. Only 1 episode ever recorded. It's dumb but funny. (And has the E! Talk Soup guy) The kids howl with laughter while watching it. I'm hoping it's picked up again. I love listening to the kids as they're watching it. Here's a clip from the first episode.

before and after

2008-08-31T10:28:00.000-04:00

This week in addition to babysitting 2 neighbors & one 3 mo nephew and school starting for my kids, the roofers finally showed. And of course 10 minutes later the town tree guys did as well. Total chaos. Deafening noise, trucks everywhere, half my doors in and out blocked and/or unsafe to use. I almost sent an e-mail to Neil's blackberry requesting a Hartzog margarita delivery. We made it though. Of course the town tree service is only resposible for cutting down the tree. It's up to the DPW to remove the wood. So it still looks exactly like it did Friday when they left - all over my front lawn/walk. (See last pic.) I will miss the tree a bit. Shaded the afternoon sun on the house and it was our first day of school picture tree. But it also clogged up our gutters, sewer line and was rotten on one side. At least it wasn't our massive tire swing tree. Love that one. Tree guys were impressed too. They said they had never seen a silver maple over 6 feet in diameter. It must be over 100 years old. I would really miss that tree when and if we ever move... Anyway... you can also see the new roof in the AFTER pics. Most annoying/boring use of thousands of home improvement dollars. But I guess it had to be done.

BEFORE

DURING

AFTER

1st grader!

2008-08-28T09:48:00.001-04:00

this is Jack's slightly nervous smile

feeling more confident at the bus stop with B as a distraction
hopped on the bus waving and smiling

4th grader!

2008-08-28T09:42:00.000-04:00

Hard to believe this will be Emma's last year in elementary school. Next year - middle school. Too scary... Cannot think about it. She is thrilled to start school again. As usual... Can't wait to hear about her day. Not that she'll share much. I'll have to talk to her friend Christina if I want the scoop...

last OBX post (I think)

2008-08-27T16:39:00.000-04:00

One night after the littler guys were in bed, Devin and Emma had a blast with the water cam. Many very funny pics and videos... Here is a small sampling:

more beach after dinner light...

2008-08-27T16:33:00.001-04:00

Pose nice - it's after dinner light!

working on their timing...

kids humoring me at the OBX Ace Hardware...

2008-08-27T16:30:00.001-04:00

we heart holes on the beach...

2008-08-27T15:52:00.001-04:00

Holes on the Beach - That could be the name of a new drink. Or a band. Or my scrapbooking store... The holes provide hours of amusement and corral the kids nicely. They are especially fun when the tide is coming in. The kids love it when the water finally breaks through the wall - see Jess pic below. (And Marc and Matt love it too) No idea if the holes are hard to dig. But look at the last pic. Apparently a six-year-old can do it. :)

back to OBX - random mix

2008-08-27T15:08:00.000-04:00

Jack with crazy beach hair - wind is not blowing, it is stuck that way

Julia & Jess in the gorgeous after dinner light
Deb has this one better on her blog

Neil, our boogie man

Emma looking old at the lighthouse

Jack wearing Deb's swim skirt saying, "Ooooo, I'm Deb..."

baby borrower...

2008-08-27T14:02:00.000-04:00

Watching our nephew for the next few days. Today was the crazy day with him, my two neighbor girls, the roof being done, a tree being taken down out front, oh and my kids too. But knock on wood, so far so good... Tomorrow and Friday the big kids are back to school. So it will be just me and the little B-man. (And hopefully no more roofers or tree guys.) I am anticipating lots of TV watching since he is happiest when being held. (Emma is holding him now...) But I'm not really complaining. Exhausting week - I could use some TiVo therapy... And I'm pretty sure he has no opinions about what I watch.

seriously cute, right?

my favorite Justin pic from OBX

2008-08-26T09:39:00.001-04:00

Blowing karate kisses - but not to me. Because he is a boy after my heart. And he loves me. But he does not love me SO much. So he won't marry me. He will just love me.

4 children alone in the ocean...

2008-08-25T21:55:00.000-04:00

I swear they actually were being supervised... By Deb, I'm assuming since they're all in the same suits in the pic below. Ahhhh...it must be Jack in the pic next to Devin. Deb! Don't let my baby drown! :)

this one makes me laugh...

2008-08-25T21:52:00.001-04:00

Um, I think you lost one Deb. Next to Devin. Is it Jack? Julia? Who knows...

boogie boarders

2008-08-24T22:44:00.001-04:00

The boogie boards were used a lot this year. Love big kids! The waves weren't perfect for boarding, but the kids made do. Check out Devin and Emma's moves. I especially love the last pic...

We are so funny...

2008-08-24T22:17:00.000-04:00

With Kelly's blackberry and my iphone we had instant access to e-mail for both drives. Mostly the exchanges were, "Where are you?" or "Watch out for a speedtrap by exit whatever..." But some of the e-mails back and forth were like these:

Seriously, what's funnier than driving by someone and snapping their picture then e-mailing it to them? The Hartzog picture was taken all stealthy. We had no idea until they e-mailed the pic. Matt swears that he is not purposely flipping them off.

sunset sucker...

2008-08-24T17:57:00.000-04:00

I love a good sunset. Here are 3 good ones from our vacation. Next year I think I want to try sunset at Jockey's Ridge or the light house.

from our back deck

from the beach

on the walk back over the dunes

OBX 2008 Anthem

2008-08-24T14:17:00.000-04:00

This song made us laugh all week... And not just the kids were singing it...

OBX, baby!

2008-08-24T14:03:00.001-04:00

Had a blast in the Outer Banks. Sooooo many pictures to go through. And that's pre-Hanna/Hartzog pics. (No pressure on the picture CD, Deb. I swear...) I loaded mine just now. Both my regular camera and my water cam. I'm sure I will end up doing a few OBX posts. But here are 2 pics that I seem to take every year. Odells are consistent...

my boy dumping a bucket of water over his head

chillaxing (our new word stolen from the Hartzogs) in the hot tub

Old Sturbridge Village

2008-08-14T22:31:00.000-04:00

Instead of packing for North Carolina (leaving tomorrow!) I took the kids here today. (With Nana) I haven't been since my class trip in 3rd grade. It was totally fun. More hands on stuff than I expected. The kids were completely into it - especially Emma. She is all ready for Plymouth Plantation where Deb claims they stay in character at all times. (Which freaks me out a little...) At OSV they are more like park employees who just happen to be dressed up in period clothing and knowledgeable in certain areas. We pretty much covered the whole place. We also did the stage coach ride and boat ride and played in the dress-up area. Very fun day-trip!

mixing clay at the potter's shed

just like making a potholder!

Emma was crazy good at the hoop rolling thing

Smash this, France!

2008-08-11T10:59:00.000-04:00

Last week - Talking about the upcoming 4x100 freestyle relay, France's Alain Bernard made this comment when asked about Team USA: "The Americans? We're going to smash them. That's what we came here for."

Okay, just watched this relay on Tivo. Even though I knew the outcome (saw the recap on the Today Show) the kids and I were screaming, "Go, go, go!" at the TV. Jason Lezak was unbelievable. Even knowing he was going to do it did not diminish it. I can't believe he closed that gap as the relay's last leg. And finished first by 8/100 of a second. Crazy... And did you see the stunned look on the French team's faces? I couldn't find a still pic to add to the blog. But total disbelief - all 4 of them. Especially Mr. Trash-talker Bernard, who swam the last leg against Lezak. Also loved watching the reaction shots of Phelps and Weber-Gale as Lezak wins. Watching the slow-mo replay, some naughty words are clearly said as they go nuts in celebration. Can not blame them a bit.

my boys - Garret Weber-Gale, Jason Lezak, Michael Phelps and Cullen Jones

from ESPN.com

BEIJING -- Halfway through what might have been the greatest comeback swim in Olympic history, Jason Lezak peered through his goggles at the lane to his right and briefly abandoned hope.

"The thought really entered my mind for a split second," Lezak said. "There's no way."

Could you blame him? That thought already had been screaming through the minds of everyone in the National Aquatics Center plus several million Americans watching at home. It almost certainly was on the mind of one Michael Phelps, the leadoff swimmer in this 400-meter freestyle relay who had so much riding on Lezak's straining shoulders.

No way.

The anchor swimmer had gone into the pool well behind Frenchman Alain Bernard and, after busting it for 50 meters, had not appreciably closed the gap. The only comfort was that Bernard, who began this race as the world-record holder in the 100 freestyle, had not put the race out of reach -- something he all but guaranteed last week by declaring the French would "smash" the Americans in this event.

Now Bernard was a mere 50 meters from backing up the boast. Lezak was running out of water.

When he flipped and thrust off the wall, he was still half a body length behind. That's a country mile in a sprint race. The United States was going down and taking Phelps' quest for eight gold medals in a single Games with it.

No way.

But just as quickly as that glimmer of despair flitted through Lezak's mind, it was shoved aside by fresh determination.

No way met no quit.

"I changed," he said. "I thought, 'That's ridiculous. I'm at the Olympic Games, I'm here for the United States of America. I don't care how bad it hurts, I'm going after it.'

"I just got a super charge."

What transpired during the final 50 meters was the stuff of Disney movies. It was the kind of thing that should land Lezak a co-starring role with Phelps on cereal boxes and network morning shows. And if Phelps does complete the great eight and pocket a $1 million Speedo bonus, he should cut a check for one-eighth of that total to the guy who kept the quest alive, Jason Lezak.

"His last 50 meters were absolutely unbelievable," Phelps said.

The 32-year-old Lezak, a three-time Olympian who has been an American anchorman nearly as long as Ted Koppel, steadily closed in on Bernard. Lezak hugged the lane line, drafting off Bernard like a NASCAR driver. It was a welcome change of tactics for a guy who is accustomed to being drafted upon by trailing swimmers.

With every powerful pull and explosive kick, Lezak gained inches. With 25 meters to go, the crowd volume picked up, as the impossible was upgraded to highly unlikely. With 10 meters to go, the crowd was roaring, as Lezak pushed it into the improbable range. At five meters, it suddenly was possible.

"I was pounding on the block, saying the f-word," admitted second-leg swimmer Garrett Weber-Gale. "I was saying, 'Come on!'

"It was an amazing thing to watch. I was saying to myself, 'If anybody in the world can pull this off, it's Jason.'"

In the final stroke, Lezak pulled it off. He thrust his right arm for the wall, desperation and determination meeting perfect timing. The lunge beat Bernard by an eye blink. Lezak somehow touched first, as the fans and his relay teammates both exploded.

The winning time: a world-record 3:08.24. Winning margin: eight-hundredths of a second. It was the closest 400-meter relay in Olympic history and the second-closest Olympic relay of any distance. (In 1984, the U.S. nipped Germany by four-hundredths of a second in the 800 free relay.)

And Lezak swam the fastest 100-meter relay split in world history, a shocking 46.06 seconds. His split was faster than Bernard's by .67 seconds. Smashing.

When you're the world-record holder but you cannot hold a lead in your specialty, that's not good. When that happens after you've talked smack, that's worse. At least it took a superhuman swim to beat Bernard.

Afterward I asked the French technical team director, Claude Fauquet, about Bernard's prediction.

"Well," Fauquet said, "I think he got it wrong."

I think so.

"We didn't react to it," Phelps said. "It just got us fired up."

Not nearly as fired up as they were after the race.

Phelps was screaming like a madman, his face contorting and muscles straining, as his quest careened from incredible domination Sunday in the 400 individual medley to incredible drama Monday. On paper, this was to be his toughest event. If another one turns up tougher, he'll lose.

"As you could see, I was pretty excited," Phelps said. "I was very emotional."

So was Weber-Gale, who won his first Olympic medal. The third relay member, Cullen Jones, won his first gold, as well -- and nearly fell in the pool while jumping up and down. And even Lezak was howling through the fatigue.

"We were all so excited," he said. "We were just yelling at each other."

This was all part of a grander plan for Phelps, but this relay held its own import to each of the participants. Especially for Lezak.

For years, he's been considered America's premier freestyle relay swimmer, but he also has swum on the only two Olympic 400 free relays the U.S. has ever lost. He was on the 2000 team that was nipped by Australia by .21 seconds and was the anchor in 2004 as the Americans finished third behind South Africa and the Netherlands.

For Mr. Relay, that was intolerable. So at a team meeting, Lezak pounded home the importance of returning America to the top of the podium in this event.

"I could see in his face the pain of losing like that," Weber-Gale said.

Lezak wanted his relay team to swim as a unit, not as four independent contractors brought together by nothing more than speed. He wanted to remind his teammates that being first on the heat sheet doesn't guarantee being first to the wall.

"People always step up and do things out of the ordinary at the Olympics," he said.

Now, after turning no way into no quit, Jason Lezak is the one who stepped out of the ordinary and into newfound Olympic glory.

If it's not Scottish, it's crap...

2008-08-08T15:19:00.000-04:00

Remember that SNL skit from the 90s? So I have been reading (and loving - especially book one) the Outlander series. I've been encouraging Matt to embrace his Scottish heritage. (He has zero interest...) But his brother is more into the geneology thing and told me which clan name to look up - Forbes. Look where it is - right next to the F in Fraserburgh. As in bordering the family lands of my fictional boyfriend Jamie Fraser. Makes me so happy...

on this map by the N in ELGIN

This is the Forbes crest...

This tee cracks me up - of course my kids would have Wee Forbes and the Forbes crest on theirs... Possibly it's only for toddlers. But I'd make them squeeze in. Possibly I would buy them Fraser ones instead. Because that would make me smile...

dirty bird...

2008-08-07T19:09:00.000-04:00

Love this SYTYCD routine. Totally weird and dark. The same part of me that loves weird, dirty, tortured looking Johnny Depp...

happy bday matt!

2008-08-05T19:38:00.001-04:00

The Cooks threw Matt a Bday BBQ.
And the city of Westfield threw him bday fireworks. Lots of fun!

Deb tried to teach me how to shoot things manually - um, yeah...

look, fireworks shooting out of Addie's head!

lame bay sunset...

2008-08-05T19:36:00.001-04:00

Deb and I tried several times. The night she left Matt and I took the kids after Cobies (another CC tradition) Better than the previous attempts - but still lame. And I forgot my camera. Those were taken with my phone. Good thing I guess. I would have been bummed to be cameraless at an amazing sunset.

2002

2002

that is what I was looking for...
shot in the crappy still photo mode on my old video camera

2005

this would have worked too - love sunset at lowtide

Scargough Tower

2008-08-05T19:33:00.000-04:00

No Odell trip to CC is complete without a trip up the tower. Like a 15 minute thing from start to finish - but it's tradition!

fun with Matt...

2008-08-05T13:27:00.001-04:00

Matt is way more fun than I am. And he never tells anyone to pick up toys, go to bed or eat one more bite of vegetables. We have our "Good Cop, Bad Cop" thing down...

Emma loves kayaking - very much her thing

We Heart Sheep Pond

2008-08-05T12:43:00.000-04:00

Sheep Pond is just a quick walk from my in-laws. Fresh water, small (but sandy beach) a raft to swim out to, and many Odell boats to use - kayaks, canoes and a rowboat. (more on those later) The kids totally love it. I love it too. So easy - no crazy crowds, no hot sandy car ride back, a little shady area for me to set up in.

Emma was all about the fish and the freaky tadpole/frogs this year. Can you see how her back ended up frying? She spent hours hunched over hunting and admiring her slimy little friends.

Jack and Jessica devised a very elaborate raft game in which they were dancing robots who danced around, powered down and then jumped in the water when they needed more energy (I think that was the jist of it anyway.) When Justin swam out and tried to play along they had many rules for his participation and a very specific role for him to play (the bad guy.) He was only supposed to come onto the raft once they had run out of energy. And he was only allowed to jump off the raft over their "sleeping" robot bodies. I'm hoping Deb can fix the last pic. It clearly shows what Justin thought about their rules. And it clearly shows Jack yelling the mantra of the bigger 2 Js, "Justinnnnn, noooooo!"

Cape Cod

2008-08-04T15:40:00.000-04:00

Still digging out from sandy stuff/car and a pile of mail. But I'm starting to go through Cape Cod pics. Very fun week. By far the easiest and most relaxing yet. Good weather, good company, 2 good books. What more could you ask for? I will post some more pics and info tonight. For now just the crazy picture snapping lady who Justin befriended. One of, I should say... (I wish I had taken a pic for every friend Justin made/random person he approached - I would put them all into a book titled "Eh-Scuse Me" or "Talking to People is Nice, Right?")

Hello way over there across the beach...making 3 Odells very nervous

This tube? I should crawl in here so your accomplice can snatch me away?

This is the one for the Amber Alert...

more fun with water cam

2008-07-23T20:20:00.000-04:00

Jack and I hung out with the nieces (Caitlin, Erin & Lily) this afternoon.
I have attached a sampling of the 300+ pics they took of each other.

You new Dum-dum. You give me gum-gum...

2008-07-16T20:32:00.001-04:00

Jack is a big Night at The Museum fan. So of course he wanted a picture with this guy. Every kid there was quoting the movie. Pretty funny. Loved the Museum of Natural History. We covered maybe 1/3 of the museum. So much to see! The Horse special exhibit was very cool. Our horse lover was in heaven...

Statue of Liberty

2008-07-16T10:01:00.000-04:00

The Statue and monument base museum (the only part you can go in now) were very cool. Some tips if you go:

Get tickets early on-line. Made fun of my mom for doing this, but they sold out. Mom is always right. Mom is always right. Mom is always right...
Check times beforehand. The last group let into the monument is at 3:30. We had no idea and just made it in at 3:15. (After wandering around the island taking pics, eating Italian ice for a few hours thinking we had all the time in the world.)
Anticipate security screenings. This pissed off Libertarian Matt - go figure. They had one before the ferry and one before the monument entrance. Like full airport security with the air puff things and everything. Things that we had that caused trouble - Matt's tiny Swiss Army knife on his keys, my phone charger, the kids' battery operated M & M fans. Also you aren't allowed to bring bags into the monument. They make you rent a locker and check them. The fewer things you have, the better.

All in all - worth it. Totally cool. The view even from the top of the base is great. The scale of the statue is overwhelming. I loved the museum and the making of blurbs and videos. Amazing process to build that massive thing. Amazing that we were once loved enough as a country to be given a gift of that magnitude. Totally loved reading all the history and seeing all the fund raising campaign stuff. It's possible that I was more into it than anyone else in our group... I think fun for all though.

wobbling on a wiggly stone waiting for the ferry

old sign still up on Liberty Island showing the skyline across the water

the actual skyline

Top of the Rock

2008-07-16T09:22:00.000-04:00

I have wanted to go to the top of the Rockefeller Building the last 2 trips to NYC. Somehow it just never worked out. This trip we squeezed it in at the end of day 2 - and it was awesome! After our long afternoon on Liberty Island we lucked out and caught a quick ferry, immediately got on the right subway back to midtown and walked right into the yummy BBQ restaurant Matt had heard about from a co-worker. We made such good time we decided to try for Top of the Rock tickets just as the sun was starting to go down. If we had been there 15 minutes earlier we would have seen more actual sunset. But all in all, I can't complain. Gorgeous view. The kids loved it too. I wish I was a better photographer. So many great photo ops...

the gnome...

2008-07-16T09:20:00.000-04:00

riding in the car to NYC

Our neighbor suggested we bring our little travelocity gnome on vacation with us. The kids thought that was hysterical so we did. Many photo opportunities and much laughter. We may have started a new tradition... With all those pics, not a single odd look. Apparently it takes a lot to weird people in NYC out. Also, no problem getting Gnomey through all the various security checks.

at the hotel

Mars 2112

Top of the Rock - view of Empire State Building

riding the subway

waiting for the ferry

Statue of Liberty

American Girl Store

Battery Park

Today Show

2008-07-16T08:30:00.000-04:00

Nana, Em and I got up early on the last day to watch the Today Show broadcast from Rockefeller Plaza. It was not that crowded when we got there at 6:30, but most of the front row spots were taken. I think half an hour earlier would have done it. The people directly in front of us had a great view and got all the good camera time and shots with the anchors. We did have a very good view though and it wasn't crowded so we could move around. The people near us were friendly and chatty. I just watched our tivoed episode from yesterday with the kids. You actually can see us quite a bit. Next time I would bring a book or electronic toy for Em. (She was a little bored, but in a pleasant, Emma-like way) The kids in front of us had gameboys to keep them busy. I have all sorts of strategy planned for next time. 4th time's the charm!

Mom snapping a pick of the back of Matt and Ann. (Meredith was on assignment)

Mom all giddy about getting her pic.

Doing the outside broadcast right near us. (In front of Lenny - that dude with the hat who is always there)

Matt, Matt, I can almost touch you! I love you! Please don't call security.

the lucky ladies right in front of us

those same ladies with Al

Ann and the kids in front of my mom

Ann greeting Morgan Freeman

Heidi Klum after her segment waving to the crowd

Accidentally found the back exit to NBC studios (next to Nintendo World.) Heidi was swarmed by a bunch of autograph seekers (who were waiting by the not-so-secret back door) as she was exiting to her limo. I think she was autographing this police officer's ticket pad thing. She was super nice. She also posed for a bunch of pics with kids. Emma didn't want to - all shy. She is not a Hanna.

NYC, baby!

2008-07-15T20:36:00.000-04:00

I can type but don't ask me to move my legs/feet. Man we walked and walked. We jammed so much in. The kids were total troopers. They were excited about everything and complained about (almost) nothing. Here is the rundown:

Sunday: Museum of Natural History, Mars 2112 restaurant, Times Square, Toys R Us, M & M store

Monday: Battery Park, WTC site, Statue of Liberty, Top of the Rock

Tuesday: Today Show, American Girl Store, Nintendo World, caught a little bit of the All Star Game parade

Hmmm...somehow it seems less busy written out. Trust me though, it was jam packed. We walked and subwayed our butts off. So impressed with the kids.

I have to load the pics from my phone and my mom's pics. Here are a few highlights though, mostly from day 1. I will load the celeb shots and travelocity gnome shots tomorrow. Gotta put my feet up.

Mars 2112

Toys R Us Ferris Wheel

Times Square

Statue of Liberty

8-8-08

2008-07-12T10:33:00.000-04:00

I heart the summer Olympics. And Michael Phelps. He's grown up a bit in 4 years, huh? There is a pic of him in this week's People that I wanted to post. But I can't find it online and I'm too lazy to scan it. This one will have to do...

Oh and of course I'm also totally cheering on Dara Torres (age 41, mom of a toddler) in her 5th Olympics. I loved her teasing Matt Lauer on the today show. She has goggles that are older than some of her teammates. Go Dara!!

one more paint option...

2008-07-11T14:40:00.001-04:00

I also have leftover red from the front door.

i heart shaker beige

2008-07-11T11:06:00.000-04:00

Thank you Hannas for sharing some of your leftover paint. My mom and I painted the mudroom yesterday. (Jack was a little sad to see the flower pots go.) Pretty easy project. Lots of taping though. Need opinions - I primed the door. (Back door, not bathroom door) Should I paint it off-white or the same color as the walls. I have leftover off-white from another project so neither would require purchasing paint.

BEFORE
AFTER

July 4th wedding

2008-07-04T23:26:00.000-04:00

My godparents' daughter Jessica got married today. Check out Deb's photo blog for the fancy wedding pics. (Not up yet, I just checked) Here are just a few I took of my family. I'm hoping Deb got Emma's first dance with a boy! (Some random older boy!) Oh and some nice ones of the bride and groom and the ceremony and all that too. The sneak peak I helped myself to on the camera had some really nice shots. Even before all the cropping and photoshop magic. I can't wait to see the sunset (kind of hazy, but pretty sky) ones and the formals that I missed. And some of the adorable brother/sister ringbearer and flowergirl. I keep checking for the DHD blog sneak peak. You'd think I was the bride... (Still not up)

Jack loved his table assignment card - his first wedding and he did great

Emma takes weddings very seriously...

Looking old hangin' with Nana & annoyed with me for taking her picture...

It's fun to be at the YMCA!

one more thing for me to freak out about...

2008-07-04T14:18:00.000-04:00

Two rabid cat attacks confirmed in town. (2 cats - actually several attacks) The most recent right down the street at Jack's bus stop - corner of Lincoln and route 116.

From Masslive.com -

Rabid cat bites 2 in South Hadley

By JEANETTE DeFORGE
jdeforge@repub.com

SOUTH HADLEY - A cat which bit a man and a girl Thursday has tested positive for rabies.

This is the second cat which has attacked people and pets in the past two weeks, said Health Director Sharon D. Hart said.

Thursday the man and girl reported a small dark-gray cat came out and attacked and bit them in the area of Newton and Lincoln streets and Roosevelt Avenue, she said.

"We caught the cat and sent it to the state (rabies) lab and the cat was positive for rabies," she said.

The two people are receiving rabies prevention treatment. The disease is usually fatal once people begin to show symptoms, Hart said.

After the first cat attack was reported, a number of other people came forward to say they or their pets had been bitten or scratched by the same cat. Four people and three dogs are being treated from those incidents and the dogs are begin quarantined, Hart said.

Anyone who may have had contact with the either cat should contact the Board of Health, she said.

The first cat, which was also captured, killed and sent to the lab to be tested, was a stray. Hart said she suspects the second is as well but no one is sure.

She is also uncertain if the two incidents are connected, especially since they happened in different parts of town. The first cat attacks were on Cote Boulevard, Wellington Avenue, Hillside Avenue and Granby Road.

"It is unusual," she said. "They could have been getting near wild animals."

Incidents of rabid cats do happen but they are not as common as those with raccoons, bats or skunks, said Patricia Cabral, the bio security and educational specialist with the division of animal health with the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture Resources.

"There are a certain amount of rabies in a feral colony," she said. "Any time you don't know an animal and you are approaching it, it could be a problem."

Along with staying away from strange animals, Hart said it is important to ensure pets' vaccinations are up to date because a dog or cat could tangle with a rabid animal and then infect the owner.

Odell girls posing

2008-07-03T20:11:00.000-04:00

My nieces Erin and Lily took these pictures of each other. Pretty cute, right? It is possibly a bad sign when a 3 year old takes better pictures than I do.

bec's blog

Seasons

kitchen take 2

"Blog Your Kitchen!" - DSH

maybe my new show...

Happy Easter!

Just because I never blog anymore...

swim team banquet

blast from the past

Father/Daughter Dance

PV Swim League Championship

Last call...

Amusing themselves on a snow day...

my old man...

Christmas Day with the Odells

Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas!!!

nutty for sledding

icicles

one more from sledding

snow day!

a few of my favorite things...

caroling from last weekend

the hat

Prop 8 the musical

pretzel boy

our tree

Odells don't get rid of stuff...

Annual Tree Hunt

Turkey Day 08

Happy Thanksgiving!!

my other commercial songs...

Kel, this is the one....

It's almost advent calendar time!

I'm a Centrist!

Your true political self:

Happy Election Day!

our Jack-O-Lantern

Happy Halloween!

fall fun

horse lover

Willow Rosenberg and Wesley Wyndam-Pryce....

Follow through - who knew?

*wanted*

Don't vote.

I heart Tina Fey

blog stalking

Lunch with Lil

Corn Dogs and Footsie-Wootsie

jack cam...

What Jamie looks like...

My house plan du jour...

The Trouble With Boys

Love this PSA

Hil. Ar. Ious.

Nope, no job offers from YouTube yet...

funny Windows ad - who knew?

Rapture

Can you see it?

Halloween '08

Seriously...

Jack & Emma's favorite show

before and after

1st grader!

4th grader!

last OBX post (I think)

more beach after dinner light...

kids humoring me at the OBX Ace Hardware...

we heart holes on the beach...

back to OBX - random mix

baby borrower...

my favorite Justin pic from OBX

4 children alone in the ocean...

this one makes me laugh...

boogie boarders

We are so funny...

sunset sucker...

OBX 2008 Anthem

OBX, baby!

Old Sturbridge Village

wanted